Absentee Shawnee Tribe vs MS Methodist Conference

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe is primarily located in the heart of central Oklahoma with over 4300 enrolled members, living in all parts of the world. Our tribal government complex is located in Shawnee Oklahoma. Our logo features Tecumseh, a Shawnee warrior and visionary leader, who worked to unite tribes in a common homeland where Indians could live under their own laws and leaders. He died in October 1813, in battle near the area of present day Thamesville, in Toronto, Canada. The LI-SI-WI-NWI in our logo means "Among the Shawnee". The Absentee Shawnee Tribe offers a wide variety of services and programs to tribal community members. These services and programs range from their Education assistance program to their Cultural Preservation programs that strive to maintain, preserve, and protect the culture, language, and traditions of the Absentee Shawnee people. They have a culturally-sensitive quality health care system, the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System, that promotes good health and disease prevention through a multi-disciplinary team using holistic and evidence-based practices that address all health issues and educational needs while protecting individual confidentiality. They also have one of Oklahoma’s finest gaming destinations, Thunderbird Casino, designed to be the premier boutique for Oklahoma gaming with two locations, in Shawnee and Norman. In addition, the Absentee Shawnee Tribe hosts a variety of events that promote and engage community and health. These events include: Shawnee Day, which was hosted at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., Domestic Violence/Family Services Obstacle Course that seeks to empower and educate victims of domestic violence, and the Zombie Run a 5K Diabetes and Wellness run.

The Mississippi Annual Conference is part of The United Methodist Church. With more than 12 million members worldwide, The United Methodist Church is governed by a General Conference that meets every four years. The annual and central conferences elect delegates to the General Conference. The resident bishop is the presiding officer of the annual conference. The Mississippi Conference is divided into 11 districts, and each district is administered by a district superintendent in consultation with the bishop. The Mississippi Conference meets annually, usually in June, for its regular business session. An equal number of clergy members and lay members from the conference meet together to worship, celebrate the previous year’s ministries and set a course for the coming year. At the conclusion of each conference, the bishop announces the clergy appointments, or assignments. We invite you to download our FREE app to get connected with our community, get engaged, stay informed through push notifications and so much more!